Chapter 27 : Figuring things out

[Author note : Read 10+ more chapters on my patréon. Look for Cathbel on the website.]

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Once the situation was once more under control, the Terran was joined by his bond-mate in order for them to gather any clues they could. Also, Crys was interested in their technology as he always was. Simon wasn't exactly sure what he was doing with it all, but he was told that one of his partner's project was to build himself a more… permanent body. One that he wouldn't want to constantly swap with another.

As he observed Ace's body intently, he recalled another person who died seemingly out of the blue : the so-called tyrant of Celia, who pretended to have his own strings pulled by his 'boss'. Just as he was about to find out more about said boss, the man had died. And now, similarly, as Ace was about to be interrogated, he too died rather gruesomely. Were the two deaths connected somehow ? Was the 'boss' whoever it was supposed to be, the one who tried to have him kidnapped ? For what ?

Endless questions swirled inside Simon's head and he started to grow frustrated. It seemed that it was too much for him to ask for a normal life. The universe or whatever dark force governed it didn't want him to live peacefully. Perhaps he should just pack up and live the planet somehow… It's not like he had much to lose. No ! It would be more accurate to say that nothing held him here.

For sure, this world was… interesting, compared to his home world. It was similar to the comics he liked to read in his youth, with people developing weird powers. Magic they called it. The name itself was strange since it came from Earth's language. Or maybe he looked at it the wrong way and Earth had adopted the term. There also was some kind of vigilante group… Though from what he could tell, they didn't seem to operate like the Justice League did. Then, there were those 'guardians'. Those people were basically superheroes. Vigilantes who fought crimes or tried to help in times of crisis. He'd actually been called a guardian himself…

Add to that the fact that several alien species seemed to cohabit and Simon thought it might have been a good world to settle on. He was hoping to be accepted and live anonymously… It wasn't meant to be it seemed.

« Maybe I should never have left that moon… »

The robotic voice of his partner suddenly resounded from his earpiece :

« No, we had to ! We would have become mad if we had stayed on that deserted satellite. » Silence before he added : « Plus, we risked getting discovered by the Empire had we stayed. »

Simon sighed. His friend was right, of course. And besides, there was no guarantee than even leaving the planet would grant him his wish. In fact, traveling to other worlds might be even more dangerous… From what he recalled from his days in the military, the universe was a dangerous place to be and explore.

As he thought of exploring, Simon remembered his world's history. Thinking of the explorers who travelled the seas, he then thought of pirates and how they lived their lives. Although they lived dangerously, they also lived freely. One time, he had watched a documentary of the origins of Arnachy as a philosophical and political idea and in it, they said that it might have some roots there. Like many children and young people, Simon had been seduced by the idea of living freely on a boat, traveling wherever and whenever, doing anything he wanted in his own 'territory'.

This was the moment when the idea started taking its own roots in the young Terran's mind, and by extension, in Crys'. It was also what would give birth to the Empire's future nightmare…

* * * * *

From afar, Penelope watched over her new kin for a while. Zrynn had made a portal for her to come here shortly after the fight had ended. As she had expected, the Genocidal never appeared in person. For that, she was both relieved and angry.

Relieved because she wasn't sure Simon and Crys were ready for the encounter. And angry that she could exact her revenge against the soulless bastard who had taken her bond-mate from her… Along with thousands, if not millions of people from their loved ones. Not that those lives really mattered to Penelope ; they were strangers and a passing thought. What did matter however, was Penelope's loss, as well as that of almost everyone on her 'team', except for Toru and Zrynn. The Genocidal had taken someone from all of them, which was the reason why they gathered together for the common goal of killing the man.

As for the other two… They recruited Toru for his potential and raw power. He'd either make a good weapon against him, or serve as perfect bait. Zrynn, on the other hand, was a mystery. No one really knew why he joined up with them, especially considering the fact that he already belonged to an interstellar organization. The Reality Scribes were… well, to be honest, Penelope didn't really know what they were. If Zrynn was any indication, each one of them could draw pictures capable of altering reality. No idea why they called themselves scribe, though. Did it also work when they wrote things ?

Finally, she came out of her thoughts and decided to approach her kin, looking around to spot her crystal life-form brethren. She couldn't see him… However, he did make his presence known just as soon as she came within reach (power-wise) of Simon. A small device hovered down from above the tree line with Crys floating in some kind of forcefield above it.

« Good day to you, Penelope. Can I ask… What are you doing here ? »

Despite the robotic tone, the woman could unmistakably distinguish the wariness in his voice. Did he think… ?

« I have been keeping an eye on you two for… Personal reasons. I've witnessed the attack. I know who's behind it… »

Simon shrugged noncommittally :

« I figured it out too. The same guy who killed Celia's dictator. The man swore his strings were pulled and then… Bam ! Dead. And the same thing happened here. Talk about getting rid of loose ends. But that also means the guy has ways to know the situation of his people or if they're about to talk about him… »

Although Penelope was surprised that Simon figured it out, since he didn't seem all that bright, she nodded and prepared to reveal the truth.